Everyone knows that Valentine’s Day means chocolate. And lots of it. One of our favorite ways to get chocolate is through a chocolate fountain or fondue pot! These are great for a date night or preparing ahead of time for gifting. Here are our favorite 20 things to dip in chocolate.

{1} Strawberries: We’ll get the obvious out of the way first. Everyone loves strawberries dipped in chocolate!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

{2} Angel Food Cake: Light and airy. This cake is perfect for dipping in chocolate.

Chocolate Dipped Angel Food Cake

{3} Apple Slices: Most people dip apple slices in caramel but we think chocolate is more decadent.

Chocolate Dipped Apple Slices

{4} Brownies: Why not add even more chocolate to your brownies? We hope you don’t succumb to death by chocolate!!!

Chocolate Dipped Brownies

{5} Bananas: For this one, you can use frozen or fresh bananas. Chocolate makes everything better.

Chocolate Dipped Bananas

{6} Graham Crackers: The combination of the honey flavor and chocolate is so yummy. Try it with peanut butter sandwiched between two crackers for extra amazement.

Hosting Thanksgiving this year for your family? Don’t stress out over the decor. We’ve got some great DIY ideas for how to beautifully decorate your home and the best part is, they’re fairly simple!

{1} Corkboard Leaf Trivets
Want an easy and functional way to spruce up the dinner table? This quick and easy DIY design can do just that. Simply grab some cork-board squares from your local store, draw or trace a leaf design onto each square, cut them out with a craft knife, and that’s it! Now you have some beautiful trivets to add a touch of fall to your table and to display your food.

{2} Apple Votives
Skip the traditional Thanksgiving décor of pumpkins and gourds for another fall favorite. Apples are a staple of the season, so add them to your holiday décor! You can make these apple votives simple by just turning the apples themselves into votives. If you have a little extra time, grab some moss, peat pots or similar small pots, twine and leaves and turn this idea into a conversation piece. Find the tutorial here.

{3} Mantel Décor
Turn your mantel (or a table if you lack a mantel) into a work of art with this bottle word display! All you need are some bottles with a great shape, wheat, vinyl lettering and a little work. Family and friends will be asking where you got them. Brag away because you made the simple and elegant display yourself! Get a step-by-step tutorial here.

{4} Thanksgiving Placemats
Looking for a simple and cost-effective way to decorate your holiday table? DIY placemats are your answer! Grab some inexpensive placemats from your local store, acrylic paint and letter stencils, unless you plan on free-handing your text. From there, it’s simple. Paint on “give thanks” or other meaningful words of your choice and that’s it! If you’re feeling extra crafty, add in some painted leaves, pinecones, etc.

{5} Leaf Garland
Easily add some glitter and glam to your home with this leaf garland. Just grab some glue, glitter and artificial leaves. Once you glitter your leaves and they dry, punch a hole in the top and attach a ribbon. Then tie all the leaves to a large ribbon strand along your mantel, table, staircase, etc. for a beautiful fall touch that family and friends are sure to notice. See more here.

The fall and winter months are in full swing, and with that brings the frigid weather causing many of us to be cooped up indoors. If you’re looking for ways to freshen up your household, here are some do-it-yourself home decor ideas to keep yourself busy this season!

{1} Framed Light Switch
Here’s a way to keep your room decor chic in even the most ordinary places. With just a few small frames from the dollar store or a thrift store and some paint, you can frame your light switches for an entirely new look!

{2} Palette Mug Display
There are so many ways you can reinvent a free palette. This idea is simple, yet so innovative. With a few hooks, letter stencils, paint, and some screws, you can turn any palette into a great kitchen display.

{3} Door Picture Display
Antique stores and flea markets are full of rustic vintage doors, so grab one and transform it into a large picture display. Add hooks to it for a mud room, or simply set it against any wall for decoration!

{4} Wood Jewelry Hook
Here we have a new way to display your jewelry with a vintage look. Simply find a piece of driftwood or worn out wooden slab, drill in your favorite door knobs to give it character, and hang your necklaces!

{5} Twig Candle Holder
This is a great way to get your children active this fall. Have them out in the yard collecting twigs to use in a recycled way. Sort through to find your favorites and then break and hot glue them to an old or new vase. Insert candle and voila!

Running a little late on getting a costume this Halloween? Life catching up with you and you completely forgot about getting yourself a costume? We understand! There’s few things more irritating than showing up to a costume store to see only bits and pieces left of the already too cliché costumes. Here we have some great last minute, do-it-yourself costumes that you very well may already have most of the items in your closet for!

{1} Rosie the Riveter

One of the most iconic female representatives in American history is the “You Can Do It” face during World War II. To make this costume possible, throw on some khaki pants, a blue button down, and put your hair in a bun with a red bandanna. Very low key and all items can be used again!

{2} Bank Robber

Black and white striped shirts are at almost any store you look, but black attire will do for this costume as well. Be a thief this Halloween by adding black pants, a black mask, a black hat, and gloves. Draw a dollar sign on a tote bag for an extra accessory doubling as a trick-or-treat bag!

{3} Lumberjack

Anyone and everyone is purchasing a new flannel to wear this fall, so put that button up to good use for your costume. Add some suspenders and denim jeans with boots on your feet to complete your lumberjack costume.

{4} Hunter and a Deer

Partner up for this great last minute pairing. One can dress in camouflage with a fake gun to make the perfect hunter. As a deer, all you need is an all brown outfit and some antlers to complete your look!

{5} Cliché Camp Counselor

If you have an old camp t-shirt laying around, add a pair of jogger shorts, tennis shoes, a whistle, and chalkboard. Now you’re the perfect obnoxious camp counselor every kid loved (or hated). Don’t have a camp shirt? Take a plain tee and draw a fake camp logo on it.

Although some of us may have a very spirited man who loves to dress up and get into the Halloween spirit, others may have a man who is not so enthusiastic. Here we have come up with some Halloween costumes that are sure to fit any couple’s style!

{1} The Classic

Who doesn’t love that vintage flare?! So throw on a cocktail dress, have him put on a suit with a bow tie, slick back his hair, put on your sequined feathered head band and you’re ready to go! Besides, it gives him an excuse to keep a cigar in one hand and a cocktail in the other all night. And you never know, you may like the dress you use for this costume enough to wear for another formal occasion in the future. Recycling clothes is in these days!

{2} The Comical

Everyone loves a good laugh, and if you and your partner are the class clowns of the group, this costume is sure to be a hit! We’ve all seen countless commercials with Flo the Progressive mascot and Mayhem the Allstate guy, so why not make a joke out of it and bring the two together as an item! With this costume you’re sure to win a contest.

{3} The Icons

There are many iconic couples that have been notorious for linking up and are known for being an item. This couple may take the win! Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe may not have been the all-American couple, but they were for sure known as being an item. Dressing up as each of these stars is a common costume, but putting them together is epic.

{4} The Procrastinators

Whether you waited until the last minute to come up with something, or you down right do not like dressing up but want to attend a friend’s party, this costume is quick and easy. An all black outfit and and all white outfit is easy to find and can be used again. This Salt and Pepper costume is perfect for those who are in a pinch (see what I did there).

{5} The Creepers

Some of us believe Halloween is only for the wicked. If creepy costumes are the only way to go in your eyes, then these Chuckie and Bride of Chuckie costumes are sure to fit your personality. Not only is this a simple Do-It-Yourself costume, but you may have a bunch of the stuff in your own closet! I mean, it is Halloween, this creepy costume will fit right in.

Now that we have gotten Spring Cleaning out of the way, it is time for Spring decorating! The best way to say “goodbye” to winter blues is to brighten and freshen up your home. We have collected some easy and cost savvy ways to decorate your home for the renewing season! Read below for more.

{1} Flowers: Flowers are the most welcome sign of Spring, and always one of the most beautiful ways to incorporate nature into your home. This year, kick it up a notch and hang flowers in jars for a fresh and unique look.

{2} Wallpaper a Small Space: Wallpapering a whole room can become quite a project, but using it to change one small space is easier and makes a huge impact! You could choose to do one wall in a room, or even the wall in an open cupboard, so that the pattern peeks out behind your dishes, books or whatever you display.

{3} Paint your Front Door: You can brighten up the entire outside of your home by painting your front door a fresh, new color.

{4} Hang Found Art: The beauty of found art is that it can be anything that fits your style and budget! Take a piece of fabric, decorated paper, an old China plate or even a found coaster to mat and frame. The result will be a unique and cost savvy piece of art.

{5} Switch Up Your Pillow Game: A super easy way to refresh your home is to change up your furniture. You don’t need to buy a new couch or chair, but add some pops of colors with throw pillows, or a fresh new bedding set.

Pantone announced this color of the year as Marsala, an “earthy wine red” tone. This color is beautiful, and will be easy to incorporate into your home this year because although bold, it is still an earthy color that is easy to wok with! We love pops of color, so here are some ways to update your home decor by just using paint in Marsala.

{1} Front Door: Paint your front door with this gorgeous red tone that is sure to accent many exterior colors!

{3} Dining Room: Find an vintage chandelier at the flea market, or update your current one by spray painting it with this bold red!

{4} Kitchen: Completely transform your kitchen in one step by painting your chairs! Accessorize with woods and stone to create a sultry, wine cellar look or go for more upbeat and modern with calm greens, yellows, and white. This versatility is what makes 2015′s color of the year great.

{5} Living Room: Make a statement in your family or living room by painting your entertainment center or coffee table! This will become a colorful focal point in your most live-in room.

It’s that time again to get ready for the holiday season. The first stop, Thanksgiving! A day all about being grateful, friends, family, and of course, food. This year, try bringing the idea of harvest into your decor and design, instead of just on your plate.

{1} Centerpiece: We love the idea of DIY decor, and this centerpiece is perfect for your harvest inspired holiday. All you need is Indian corn, twine, and a large candle! Wrap the corn around the glass candle holder and fasten with twine. This centerpiece is simple yet beautiful, and will accent any tablescape wonderfully.

{2} Wreath: Make your guests feel welcome with an acorn door wreath. Look for one at your local craft and decor store, or make it yourself!

{3} Seating Cards: No matter the number of guests you’re going to have, make this Thanksgiving an elegant affair by using place cards. Mini pumpkins are adorable and festive! Keep them natural or paint them, then simply add then names of your guests!

{4} Food Display: Try this appetizer that doubles as decor! Make your own bread Cornucopia by following this easy recipe here, http://bit.ly/1uUfSWi , and then fill with fruit and cheeses that you want to serve.

{5} Kids Corner: This year, make Thanksgiving even more fun for the children in your family by having them create snacks inspired by the central food of the day, a turkey!

Here’s a technique easy enough for even the most “hairstyle-challenged”: Thermal Twists. All you need is a blowdryer, the right styling product, and your own hands. Thermal Twists work well on most types of hair from straight to medium curls and will withstand humidity all Summer long! Oh, and I must warn you that my DIY photography skills are not as wonderful as my DIY hair skills, so please excuse my amateur at-home photography!

Step #3 Distribute product cocktail evenly through damp hair, beginning at the midshaft, working down to the ends, then back up towards the scalp. Do NOT apply directly to the scalp/root area -doing so will result in a not-so-hot-I-need-to-shower-again look =)

Step #4 Separate hair into two halves and twist each half away from the face

Step #6 Allow twists to cool (or finish with your blowdryer on the "cool" setting) and pull apart... or you can even just swing your head forward and back a few times like you're in an 80's hair band. Hey, whatever floats your boat.

Contributors

Click on a blogger to see just their posts.

Traci Adedeji: is a 40-something mother of three adult daughters and wife of local fashion designer, Raul Siro Ferreira. The family moved to Rochester from the New York City area in 2007. Having worked for over 20 years as an insurance professional, Rochester was a change of pace that precipitated a change in career for her. Traci owns Grown & Sexy Things, a lifestyle brand offering relationship enhancement products and producing signature "Grown & Sexy Girls' Night Out" events. She cites her status as "a person who wears clothes" as what makes her uniquely qualified to write about fashion. She offers real fashion and shopping tips for real women presented with her special brand of style and humor. Traci believes that true style comes not just from knowing the difference between fashion and style but also from knowing what works best for you and for your lifestyle.

She is on a mission to inspire and empower women of all ages to improve their health and well-being, upgrade their eating habits and self-care practices, achieve their ideal weight and desired body image, redefine their own health and happiness, and ultimately, create the lives of their dreams.

Laura's approach to health and life coaching is of a holistic nature. Drawing on her education, hands-on expertise and personal experience, she works with clients to help them create a healthier and happier life through better nutrition, balanced lifestyle choices, stress reduction, self-care, as well as adjustments in other areas of life that contribute to the well-being.

Laura comes from the corporate world; her background is in graphic and web design, internet marketing, search engine optimization, and social media marketing.

Laura is a passionate learner and a life-long student. She is continually studying to increase her knowledge of nutrition, holistic health and well-being, human psychology and behavior change, self-improvement, as well as entrepreneurship, modern marketing, and social media influence.

Visit her website at Happy-Healthy-Vibrant.com and take advantage of FREE initial consultation offer – mention you saw it on herRocester.com.

Emily Chen: has always had a passion for the arts, a passion that would land her a growing career in the beauty industry. At an early age she began beauty school and discovered she could utilize artistic talent and creative thinking in a career full of opportunities. Upon completing her cosmetology education, Chen began her work as a salon assistant. She attended numerous advanced workshops, seminars, hair shows, and other educational events and quickly rose to become a Artistic Director at Allora Salon & Spa in Victor. Chen enjoys working with her clients to come up with styles individualized to their needs and complimenting their natural features. In 2008, she became a Thermafuse Educator, and then a National Thermafuse Platform Artist and a member of the Thermafuse Artistic Team. Chen currently works full time as a stylist . When not in the salon, she travels the United States and Canada teaching and inspiring other stylists and promoting her love and passion of the beauty industry. "Whether you've been doing hair for ten months or ten years, there is ALWAYS something new to learn," Chen said.

works hard to live a real life. She’s not saving endangered spider monkeys and has no interest in scrap-booking. She is a self-proclaimed expert of nothing. She religiously watches football, "samples" candy from the bulk food aisle, and gets frustrated at things that don't make sense. She will probably never have a building named after her, but she donates as she can. She’s conscious of her carbon footprint but hasn't made the switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. She thinks the whole world should be in therapy and every day she promises that she’ll start exercising tomorrow. She’s nowhere near where she thought she would be at this point in her life, but she’s a really good person with high standards for herself. She’s kind, thoughtful, and determined to help others often at the detriment to herself. She strongly believes in and practices the Golden Rule and she's doing her best, every day, to make sense of this crazy, chaotic and not-so-bad ride we call life. And you know what? She’s getting there.

Tokeya C. Graham consistently works towards personal growth. She applies the principles of what she calls "Soulstainable Living": reducing her negative karma footprints by recycling positive energy for the benefit of others. She believes that we are we responsible for own happiness and should work hard to achieve it. Tokeya is a word wrangler by day and a dream spinner at night. She currently teaches English at Monroe Community College's Damon City Campus. Since 2005, she has owned and operated T. Cornell Writing Resource which offers comprehensive writing services and workshops. Additionally, she is a popular local public speaker who is requested at many events that focus on helping women and girls become their best selves. A Rochester native, Tokeya continues to live in the city with her husband and their children.

Michelle Inclema is a freelance writer, social media junkie and bride-to-be. When she isn't tweeting or wedding planning, she takes to the stage for community theatre productions. She is a Nazareth College graduate who also volunteers for area nonprofits. She resides in the City's Neighborhood of the Arts, where she enjoys soaking in all the artistic and cultural experiences that her native city has to offer!

Tricia Kuntz: is the owner of The Purple Painted Lady, a custom-painted furniture shop, and has been repurposing furniture and painting murals for over 10 years. She is quick to help others with projects that can transform their house into their home. Visit her shop in Palmyra and you will find her enthusiasm is contagious. She refers to herself as a contemporary woman with heirloom hobbies. Her painting includes a wide range of pieces, from French Country and traditional to whimsical and eclectic, to Shabby Chic. She loves resurrecting old wood furniture, giving a side table new life with paint or taking a forgotten dresser and transforming it into the favorite piece in a home. She is a three-time Homearama participant and an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint certified stockist and trainer.

She has a passion for painting and her family. Tricia lives in a big, old Victorian farmhouse, painted purple and white, in Macedon with her husband Steve and daughter Danni. She is a hometown girl, born and raised in Rochester. While traveling the globe during her mechanical engineer/software consulting days, she always looked forward to returning "home."

Tricia is available to answer any of your questions or concerns, or ease your fear of taking that paint brush to the piece Grandma gave you that is hiding in your basement. So, please email your questions to the "Dear Purple Painted Lady" at takuntz@rochester.rr.com

Joan Lincoln: A mother of three beautiful daughters, Joan hails from the Finger Lakes area. A true Rochesterian for 28 years, Joan has come from in front of the camera lens to behind the scenes and has been painting Upstate N.Y. woman more beautiful for more than a decade. Working for NYC-industry giant Trish McEvoy Cosmetics, Joan has become a sought-after makeup artist in the region over the past 13 years. Her accomplishments have always focused on female-based retail, marketing and event planning careers; however, Joan's real passion for empowering women is defined through her makeup brush and her one-face-at-a-time makeup lesson. With her blog "Beauty Buzz," Joan will provide life-enhancing solutions for readers through her collection of beauty tips and experiences.

Russ Manalastas is the clinical director of Lattimore's Spencerport clinic. He received his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2009 from the University at Buffalo, as well as a bachelor's in exercise science in 2006. He is certified in strength and conditioning through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Russ has a passion for advocating for the physical therapy profession and treating a vast array of sports/orthopedic conditions. As a certified orthopedic manual therapist (COMT), he uses a variety of hands-on techniques in addition to exercise, to allow clients to return to their goals. Russ has particular interests in repetitive, endurance related injuries, and how he can utilize the best available evidence to help clients on the road to recovery. He lives in Rochester with his wife Kathleen, his daughter Lilia, and soon to be baby boy Manalastas coming in August."

Tiffany Mincey: is a 24-year old fitness guru who works part-time at the YMCA of Greater Rochester as a Group Exercise Fitness Instructor. She is certified in cycling, hi-lo aerobics, and step-aerobics. She recently competed in a local fitness competition called the "Rep X Challenge" and placed 2nd after doing more than 1,200 squats in a row.

Tiffany participated in Division I track and field and women’s rowing at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo). She also competed in the Empire State Games in the 400-meter hurdles.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish (double minor in International Business and Education) from SUNY Buffalo. In 2011 she earned her Masters of Public Administration from Florida International University in Miami. She works full-time in public safety with the City of Rochester.

Wendy Rockcastle: is co-owner of two Rockcastle Florist locations in Rochester and Canandaigua. She has over 20 years of experience as a small business owner and designer. Wendy enjoys teaming up with other professionals as well as mentoring young start-ups and students. She volunteers through the Greece Chamber of Commerce to work with the Young Entrepreneur Academy (YEA). Her daughter, Mary is study art in New York City. She has been married to her husband/business partner Keith for over 25 years. Wendy and other Rockcastle staff discuss all things floral on their blog Talk about Flowers at RockcastleFlorist.wordpress.com. You can contact her at wjrockcastle@rockcastle.com

Rosa Smith-Montanaro: is your virtual weight loss and wellness coach. She is the author of Mind Over Platter®: Train Your Brain to Think Thin and the award-winning creator of MindOverPlatter.com. Rosa is a certified Success Coach with an expertise in weight management and the mind/body connection. She is also certified at the Master level in Hypnosis, Neuro Linguistics Programming (NLP), Thought Field TherapyTM (TFT), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Herbal Specialist and Humanistic Neuro Linguistic Psychology. Rosa teaches seminars throughout the country on the mind/body connection and how to create a life that is a reflection of your values. Rosa and her husband live in Greece and have three children. She welcomes you to blog with her and discover how you can create a healthier, happier and balanced life. Rosa can be reached at MindOverPlatter@aol.com.

Jen Ulrich: owner of Answers To Organizing, has been a professional organizer in the Rochester area since 2005 and is truly passionate about this work. Her hands-on, supportive approach assists clients in de-cluttering residential and small office spaces. But for Jen, organizing is not just about the "stuff." It's making people feel better about their environments, and ultimately about themselves; she instructs her clients on easy-to-maintain systems and time management skills that yield benefits with finances, relationships, and personal development.

Pauleen Vacca lover of all things lifestyle and local, is an event designer and party planner. Being immersed in the events field for over five years, Vacca has worked with many notable clients and companies, both nationally and abroad, including Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Gap Inc., Shakira, and Drake. After working in both Rochester and New York CIty, Vacca opened Pauleenanne Design in 2011. With a focus on social gatherings, corporate events, and weddings, Pauleenanne Design services events in the Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Finger Lakes Regions. Vacca is also an avid social media user, with a love for the platform Pinterest, and a self taught graphic designer. When not busy with the business, Vacca enjoys going to her favorite Rochester restaurants, finding artistic inspiration, and jet setting whenever possible.

Robin Harisis has always loved to organize. Even as a child, she made drawer dividers for her dresser and cataloged all her stuffed animals according to species. These activities demonstrate an appreciation for the process of bringing things into order. This has been a calming influence throughout her life.

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Messiah College, Robin worked in a variety of fields. She was the coordinator for a youth job training program, a manager in a production lab, and a salesperson for a veterinary supply distributor. Her natural organizing and people skills were honed through these endeavors. They are now the main focus in her current venture. She is the founder of Room Service Personal Organizing, LLC and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. Robin finds fulfillment in motivating and teaching others to find their organizational "happy place."

Robin lives in Ontario, New York with her husband, two kids, and one well-mannered dog. She enjoys the outdoors, sports, reading, home decorating, and of course, organizing.